1. ORLD WAR II brought in its wake a deep
Indo-Norwegian
W realization of the need for peace and
friendship among nations.
The war-stricken countries of Europe recovered
Project Develops relatively rapidly, thanks partly to aid from America.
By 1952, Norway could again ensure her people full
Indian West Coast employment, increased production and a high standard
of living. There was growing consciousness among
Fisheries Norwegians of the interdependence of the nations of
the world and of the widening gap between the industrial
countries of the west and the underdeveloped areas of
Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Kåre Larssen
By then the United Nations had initiated several
technical assistance programmes for the benefit of
developing countries, providing technical experts,
services and training. Norway had participated in these
programmes from the start, but felt that the aid might
be expanded to include modern equipment and
machinery. Accordingly, in the summer of 1952, the
Born in 1937 on the small fishing island of
Norwegian Parliament, by a unanimous vote, establi-
Espevaer, on the west coast of Norway, Kåre shed the Norwegian Foundation for assistance to Less
Larssen, author of this article, joined the
Developed Countries.
island’s trawling fleet at the age of 15.
He quickly progressed eventually becoming a
skipper and was then appointed Projects Tremendous Potential
Manager. In 1961, he joined the Norwegian
Agency for International Development and Norway, experienced in fishing, thought it might best
was appointed Assistant Fisheries Leader of be able to give technical assistance in this industry.
the Indo-Norwegian Project.
And India, with its coastline of 4,074 miles and a
He is now engaged on fixed term assignment
with FAO (1966).
fishable marine area of more than 100,000 square
miles offered a tremendous potential for the 1
development of fisheries.

2. There was a need for development. India produced areas. After negotiations in New Delhi the delegation
about a million tons of fish a year whereas the estimated visited the State of Travancore-Cochin in the south west
requirement was for 4.4 million tons. This great gap coast of India, where the project was supposed to
had to filled, and ways of increasing production had to concentrate on the development of the coastal fisheries.
be found to meet the growing demand for protein food. In 1956 this State was reorganized, given new
This problem brought India and Norway together boundaries and the ancient name of Kerala.
under the auspices of the United Nations on October In January 1953 an amendment to the agreement was
17, 1952, a tripartite agreement was signed by Norway, signed in New Delhi, describing the new project area
India and the United Nations for the furtherance of an and deciding on administration and budget for the
Indo-Norwegian Project in India. project. The aims of the project were as stated above.
Up to that time the Project was only on paper. Generally The project selected a limited area, two fishing villages
speaking, the aim was to develop the fishing industry about seven miles north of the city of Quilon in Kerala.
and improve living conditions in the communities Depending on the success of the project, the idea
concerned, or more specifically: was to expand to other fishing communities along
1. Increase production by improving fishing methods. the coast.
2. Increase profits by better utilization of the fish. Immediate practical problems facing the Indo-
3. Improve sanitary conditions and health of the Norwegian Project were mechanization of fishing
population. boats, facilities for maintenance, introduction of new
fishing gear and methods, ice factories, cooling vans
4. Improve the living standard of the community in and boats for hauling fresh fish. A sales organization
general. for marketing the fish had to be set up. Improved sanitary
Norway was to conduct certain development projects conditions depended on a better water supply and
in co-operation with the Indian Government which in modern health station.
turn would be responsible for part of the expenses Norway agreed to provide the necessary machinery
involved. According to the agreement, the United and equipment and the technical and medical experts.
Nations could also be invited to take part in the planning Indian fishermen and technicians were also to be given
and realization of development projects and offer the opportunity of training and studying in Norway.
technical assistance as well. The United Nations was invited to give technical
In October 1952 a delegation from the Development assistance, and the Indian Government was to provide
Agency travelled to India to discuss possible project building materials and manpower.

3. After three years’ experience in the Quilon area, second Most of the boats produced by the Project boat-yards
amendment was signed to provide for expansion. A to day are from 25 to 36 ft. and are equipped as trawlers.
second fishing center was to be established in the city They trawl for fish and shrimps and have had
of Cochin, the only natural port in the area. In Quilon, exceptionally good catches. Mechanization is now
activities were to be expanded. generally accepted, and more than half of the fishermen
in the Project area have abandoned the old methods
Establishment of the fishing center in Cochin was a
and have acquired motorboats. (See Fishing News
logical step. The Project had imported three large fishing
International Vol. 3 No. 2 1964: ‘Fishing off the West
vessels from Nor way to conduct oceanographic
Coast of India’).
research and to try out various types of modern fishing
gear along the coast, Exact knowledge of fish resources The project administration realized that the fisheries
and marine conditions was vital for the further would not be developed without adequate oceano-
development of the fisheries. And the fishing vessels graphic research. In 1961, therefore, the Norwegian
had to be stationed at Cochin, the only port. Development Agency provided a modern research
vessel, the Varuna which was given to the project. This
Lack of harbour facilities was the largest research vessel in India at the time, and
The lack of harbours along the Indian coast had prevented it became a decisive factor in research and of great
development of modern fisheries. Most fishing is done significance for the Indian fisheries as a whole. The
from the sandy beaches in vallams, or canoes which are Varuna is also training ship of Indian oceanographers,
taken back to shore through the breakers after each trip. skippers and engineers.
The Project, therefore, tried to develop off-shore fishing,
The renewed agreement of 1956 included plans for building
first by mounting motors in the old vallams, and then by
a reservoir which would give 100,000 Indians a supply of
constructing a suitable motorboat.
safe drinking water. The water had to be moved to 28
Mechanization of off-shore fishing was not successful. kilometres away to the Project area, and it soon appeared
The boatyard produced a series of 22 ft motorboats, that the cheapest way of piping water was to set up a
but the programme was discontinued in 1957. A larger factory for the production of concrete pipes at the Project.
type was then constructed to be operated from small The Pipe factory began production in the autumn of 1956
harbours and estuaries. The new type turned out to be and completed the necessary pipes in the course of three
much sought after by fishermen who have gone through years. The waterworks was completed by 1962 and the
the project-training course. They are able to buy their population in the Project area and the city of Quilon are 3
own boats on very reasonable terms. now supplied with fresh, good water.

4. This pipe factory has been turned over to the Kerala fishmeal. This factory, which can process 60 tons of
Government and is the first part of the Project to be fish in 24 hours, will provide work for more than 250
handed over. The aim of the Projects is to turn every- fishermen and factory workers.
thing over to Indian administrators and it is with this These expansions have been made at the request of the
aim in mind that there is now a joint Indo-Norwegian Indian authorities who have shown great interest in
administration. the fisheries project. India’s financial contribution to
The main administration for the Project lies with the the Project has grown with the Project itself and is to
Standing Committee, composed of representatives of day larger than ever. In the course of the first ten years,
the Central Government, the respective States in which Norway’s contribution was 50 million Crowns, as
the Project operates, the Norwegian Embassy in New against India’s eight million. In the year 1963–64
Delhi, and the Norwegian Project administration. The however, the Indian project budget exceeded that of
Standing Committee meets twice a year under the Norway.
leadership of a chairman appointed by the Central In April 1963 the Fisheries Division moved from
Government. The Director of Fisheries in Kerala was Quilon to Ernakulam. Only one Norwegian expert was
the nominal head of the Project until 1962. Day-to- left to work with the fishermen’s Sales Organization.
day administration is done by the Norwegian Project As from April 1964 this sales organization has been
Director and his Indian counterpart. Most of the other working independently. The project is represented only
positions in the Project are divided in the same manner, by two board members.
with the aim, as mentioned, of having the Indians take
over the entire administration. Providing equipment
In 1961 the Project was enlarged once more by a new Nor way provides technical and administrative
amendment to the original agreement, providing for assistance and special equipment which is not easily
projects in other Indian States. At the same time plans available in India, such as boats, engines, fishing gear,
were made for a new station in Cannanore in northern machinery for boat building yard and mechanical
Kerala. workshop, ice factories and freezing plants, equipment
The first concrete result of these plans was evident when and gear for training purposes. In 1965 the Fisheries
a new fisheries station was officially opened in Project had 30 Norwegian employees.
Mandapam, Madras. All the new stations are organized The experts work at the various fishing stations, which
along the same lines as the main project, except for a are supposed to serve as models for Indian fishermen
new factory in Mandapam for the production of providing a wide scope of demonstration and training

5. possibilities, mechanized fishing, processing, marketing, orientation in the problems and practical aspects of the
boat building, mechanical workshops and maintenance. fishing industry.
In May 1964 the Norwegian Development Agency and
FAO signed a contract for the establishment of an Deep sea work
advanced institute of fisheries in Bombay. The project In the expanding project in Kerala the emphasis will
is financed by the Indian Government and the UN be on deep-sea fishing. Two stern trawlers have been
Special Fund. The cost of administration and purchase purchased and a new research vessel for outrigger
of equipment will be covered by the Special Fund. trawling has been ordered. These boats will soon be
India’s share amount to ten million Crowns and the sailed to India and put to work doing deep-sea fishing
Special Fund will provide 4½ million during this first in the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian
three-year period. Ocean. In the shopping centre of the city of Alwaye, a
The Indian Government will build and equip the institute growing industrial centre in Kerala, a modern
in Bombay as well as provide the necessary buildings for Norwegian fish market is being built; the first fish
fishing stations, accommodation for students and housing market of its kind in India. It will be part of the plan
for the institute leaders. India will also appoint the for teaching Indians how they can make better use of
director, the teaching staff and other personnel. the increasing catches as a result of the project in Kerala.
FAO’s responsibility, which has been assumed by the The store will also introduce various new fish products.
Norwegian Development Agency, will be to provide Freezing plants which are now being constructed in
the Project Manager, as a consultant to the institute India will have air conditioning and modern sanitary
director, and a professor of fishing technology and conditions which will ensure hygienic handling of the
economics. FAO will in addition provide scientific produce. It is hoped that the Indians will be able to
equipment for the laboratories, workshops as well as compete with shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico on the
library and a fully equipped 50 ft. fishing boat. American market.
The Institute’s goal is to train administrators for the There are plans too for cooperating with the inter-
expansion of fisheries in the various coastal states. nationally known Norwegian firm, FRIONOR, in
Qualified candidates from other countries in south East marketing shrimp in the United Sates. When Norway
Asia may also apply for admission. Twenty-five began its Project in India 14 years ago, not a single
candidates a year, all of them with university degrees, shrimp was exported. This year, shrimp exports are
will be admitted to the two-year course. The Institute expected to give return of more than 100 million 5
will not educate specialists, but will give a broad Crowns.

6. Fishing in India as whole, as well as in our own Project, Cannanore is also one of Norway’s pilot projects in
is in a period of active development. The Indian India. It is the third and last in Kerala State, comprising
authorities realize that fisheries are an industry worth freezing plant and ice factory, boat building yard and
developing. Mechanized fishing has come to stay and training center for fishing skippers.
will be a determining factor in the development. Indian- A new-patented method for producing lightweight
Norwegian co-operation has been officially praised and cement blocks for breakwaters will be tried in
commented. Indian authorities often refer to the Project Cannanore. The inventor is one of the project’s
as a model for aid to developing countries, and turn to engineers. Fishermen have had to put ashore on the
it for information. beach, but now they will be able to anchor up at the
breakwater. This breakwater will provide protection
Respected from wind and currents, particularly from the south-
west monsoon which lasts from May until September.
Norway and the Project are respected for the job they
The blocks will be economical to produce since they
have done, but they cannot rest on their laurels. The
use 40 per cent less cement than most blocks of this
responsibility resting on the Project is greater today
type, and they can be made from sand from the local
than ever before. Politics will come into the picture
beach. This will be the first breakwater constructed by
more and more as local politicians try to obtain for
this method, but within a short time, others will be
their respective districts as much as possible of the 1,140
built throughout the world.
million Rupees which the Government will be investing
in fisheries during the next five years.
New harbour
Exports of shrimp, which began in 1953, have increased
constantly. Politicians are aware of this, and State The station in Karwar, in Mysore State is concentrating
marketing organizations and other forms of national- on a new harbour which will be completed by the end
ization within the fisheries sector have been suggested. of 1966. The fishing station will be like the stations in
Various committees study the development of fisheries Quilon and Ernakulam. Mechanized boats of 28 ft. to
from time to time. Foreign interests are beginning to 45 ft. do trial fishing along the coast, whereas larger
look upon India with new eyes. The American firm, research vessels do deep-sea fishing.
Van Camp Sea Food Company, is going to build a large For ages Karwar has been a centre for mackerel and
fishery and cannery in Cochin for shrimp, lobster and sardine fishing, but with old-fashioned gear, which has
tuna. Indian factory owners also see the possibilities and now been replaced by trawlers and purse seines.
are building their own modern fishing boats. Previously the catches had to be taken all the way to

7. Bombay; today they are delivered to the Project, which a boatyard, workshop, fishmeal plant and a school. At
takes care of inland marketing, bringing fish to places the school young fishermen will be trained in all phases
where there was previously no delivery. of mechanized fishing under the guidance of Norwegian
An era of prosperity is in view for the fishermen of the experts. The school received 60 fishermen to begin
Ramnad Mandapam coast. This area has been selected with but hopes to raise the number to 120.
for deep-sea fishing by the Indo-Norwegian Project. The Boats will have all modern equipment and will be able
Madras government in collaboration with the Norwegian to communicate with headquarters on shore by radio.
Foundation, decided to reorganize the fishing industry Three Norwegian trawlers were assigned to Mandapam
on a stable footing on the East Coast, and made several years ago, and they have succeeded in locating
Mandapam the centre for such development. This promising fishing grounds. The oceanographic survey
project, the first of its kind in the State, will offer technical conducted by the Central Marine Fisheries Research
know-how and supply modern equipment to fisherman Station at Mandapam will be of great significance for
for deep-sea fishing operations. the whole coast.
The Project envisages construction of a modern boat- There is demand for fish in all the interior districts,
building yard on the Norwegian pattern, with a but it has been difficult to transport fresh to the far
workshop, installation of two cold storage plants with away markets. This problem will be solved when each
a capacity of 200 tons each, and establishment of a district gets its ice factory and refrigerated delivery
school for training young fishermen in the operation vans.
of mechanized gear. In 1963 and in 1965 the research vessel Varuna operated
in the coastal waters off the west cost of India and in
Subsidization plan the adjacent waters of the Laccadive and Maladive
The plan is to supply fishing implements and boats to archipelagoes. Research cruises have also been
these trained men at subsidized rates. The main undertaken in the equatorial region of the Indian Ocean,
consideration which influenced the decision in favour in the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay and off the Indian east
of Mandapam was its particular location, the strip of coast from Pal Bay to Vizag.
Land projecting into the Bay of Bengal with Park Bay Most of the material collected is still being studied, but
on the north and Gulf of Mannar on the south, which will in due course be made ready for publication. We
affords scope for fishing throughout the year. Also, will then get all scientific data from the research trips
concentration of fishermen communities was mainly and a report on the technical operation of the Varuna as 7
in this area, and there was enough vacant land to build well.

8. Highly Satisfactory The Project has pioneered in India in developing
motorized fishing, and in developing new methods of
During her four years of operation, the Varuna has fishing, processing and distribution. Progress was slow
proved to be highly satisfactory as a research vessel. the first year, but as the Project gained momentum, it
No major defects have been reported. The Vessel has spread, first along the coast of Kerala, and then to other
covered a total of nearly 135,000 nautical miles and Indian states. Today there are 1200 motorized boats in
has taken some 3,000 oceanographical stations during Kerala, and new boatyards and freezing plants are
her 300 days at sea every year. appearing in increasing numbers.
The operation of the vessel has been conducted in One can in justice say that the Indo-Norwegian project
cooperation with the Central Marine Fisheries Research has met the challenge of our age. Its progress has made
Institute. About 60 of the Institute’s scientists have taken for higher living standard of the Indian fisherman and
part in the cruises and are working on the material shown that more developed nations can make a vital
collected. contribution to fishing progress where it is most needed.
It seems that the fisheries outside the 50-fathom limit most
probably are of small commercial value. Fisheries off the
west coast will accordingly for a long time still be
concentrated in coastal waters, and research should
therefore be emphasized in the this area. Effort should be
put in correlation of meteorological and oceanographical
data, and plankton samples should be examined
quantitatively and correlated with hydrographical data.
Another agreement
In June 1963 still another agreement was signed by
India and Norway with regard to the health work in
the entire project. Originally, the Fisheries Division
and the Health Centre were one project, but the Health
Centre is now an independent project, under the
Reproduced from
Department of Health in Kerala, whereas the fisheries Fishing News International
projects are supervised by the Central Government. Vol.5 No 3, March 1966.